RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of cancer by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of cancer cells. Combining interferon alfa and thalidomide may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining interferon alfa and thalidomide in treating patients who have undergone surgery for soft tissue sarcoma or bone sarcoma.

No more than 8 weeks since prior surgical resection of primary or metastatic disease

Ineligible for other high priority national or institutional study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

SWOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

More than 2 months

Hematopoietic:

WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3

Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

Platelet count greater than 70,000/mm^3

Hemoglobin at least 10.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL

SGOT or SGPT less than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)*

Alkaline phosphatase less than 3 times ULN*

No decompensated liver disease

No autoimmune hepatitis

No coagulation disorders NOTE: * Unless due to metastatic disease

Renal:

Creatinine normal

Cardiovascular:

No history of severely debilitating cardiovascular disease

No unstable angina

No uncontrolled congestive heart failure

No thrombophlebitis

Pulmonary:

No history of severely debilitating pulmonary disease

No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

No pulmonary embolism

Other:

Not pregnant or nursing

Negative pregnancy test

Fertile patients must use 2 forms of effective contraception for 4 weeks before, during, and for 4 weeks after study

No acute infection requiring systemic antibiotics

No prior hypersensitivity to interferon alfa or any component of the injection

No diabetes mellitus prone to ketoacidosis

No severe myelosuppression

No history of autoimmune disease

No pre-existing thyroid abnormalities with thyroid function that cannot be maintained in the normal range

No clinically significant retinal abnormalities

No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study

No prior malignancy except curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

Not specified

Chemotherapy:

Prior systemic chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

Prior radiotherapy allowed

Surgery:

See Disease Characteristics

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00026416